BENGALURU: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and former Maharashtra minister Vinod Tawde, who were appointed BJP’s central observers to pick the Leader of Opposition (LoP) and chief of the party’s state unit, gathered the opinion of BJP MLAs and core committee members on Tuesday. It is likely that the BJP central leadership may announce names for the two posts in a day or two.
The observers held a marathon one-on-one meeting with several MLAs and core committee members before leaving for Delhi, where they will submit their report to party national president JP Nadda. Party sources said Nadda will deliberate with the party’s central leadership, following which the announcement will be made on Wednesday or Thursday.
Sources revealed that former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and former minister and Karkala MLA Sunil Kumar were the frontrunners for the post of Opposition leader. Meanwhile, it is said that former minister Kota Shrinivas Poojari is likely to be the LoP in the Upper House.
While the state presidents of Telangana, Punjab, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh were announced on Tuesday, central observers also gathered the opinion of state leaders on appointing the chief of the state unit, as incumbent president Nalin Kumar Kateel’s tenure ended before the polls, and was extended. While names of many leaders are doing the rounds for the state president’s post, the central leadership is trying to strike a balance on the caste front, while making the two appointments.
BJP MLC and state general secretary N Ravikumar said the observers have collected opinions, and an official announcement of names for the two posts will be made soon in Delhi. Former CM and MP DV Sadananda Gowda said he had told the observers of the need to appoint an able opposition leader.